Iran schedules nuclear energy talks with three European powers

Fresh talks between Iran and European powers over Tehran's nuclear energy program are expected to be held on Friday in Istanbul, the first since the United States attacked Iranian nuclear facilities a month ago, the country's state media reported on Monday.

Iranian diplomats at the level of deputy foreign ministers will meet their counterparts from the United Kingdom, France and Germany, known as the E3, after the trio warned that sanctions could be reimposed on Tehran if it does not return to the negotiation table.

"In response to the request of European countries, Iran has agreed to hold a new round of talks," said Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei, as quoted by State TV. "The meeting will take place at the deputy foreign minister level."

Israel launched a wave of surprise strikes on Iran last month, targeting key military and nuclear facilities under close international supervision of International Atomic Energy Agency or IAEA. The US launched its own set of strikes on June 22, hitting the uranium enrichment facility at Fordow, as well as nuclear sites in Isfahan and Natanz. A ceasefire came into force on June 24, while Iran has accused both Israel and the US of aggression and violations of international law including IAEA rules.

Western nations and Israel have long accused Iran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons, a charge Tehran has consistently denied.

Iran and the US held several rounds of nuclear negotiations through Omani mediators before Israel launched its 12-day offensive. But US President Donald Trump's decision to join Israel in striking the Iranian nuclear facilities effectively ended the talks.

A German diplomatic source said on Sunday that the E3 were in contact with Tehran, stating that "Iran must never be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon". Despite Iran consistently denying any plan for nuclear weaponry.

The E3 have said they would restore United Nations sanctions on Tehran via the "snapback mechanism" by the end of August if nuclear talks that were ongoing between Iran and the US do not resume or fail to produce concrete results.

However, in talks with his German, French, and British counterparts and EU High Representative Kaja Kallas on Thursday, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araqchi said, "If EU/E3 want to have a role, they should act responsibly, and put aside the worn-out policies of threat and pressure, including the 'snap-back' for which they lack absolutely moral and legal ground."

The E3 countries last met with Iranian representatives in Geneva on June 21 -- just one day before the US strikes.

Iran and world powers struck a deal in 2015 called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which placed significant restrictions on Tehran's nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. But during Trump's first presidency, the US walked away from it and reimposed sanctions on Iran.

Araghchi said the Western allies had "absolutely no moral (or) legal grounds" for reactivating the snapback sanctions.

"Through their actions and statements, including providing political and material support to the recent unprovoked and illegal military aggression of the Israeli regime and the US ... the E3 have relinquished their role as 'Participants' in the JCPOA," he wrote on X on Sunday.

In a letter addressed to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, along with the President of the Security Council and its members, and EU High Representative Kaja Kallas on Sunday, Araqchi emphasized that the three European nations have supported Israel's aggression toward Iran, rejected the fundamental tenets of the JCPOA, and failed to honor their commitments to the JCPOA agreement.

Iran had exhausted the JCPOA's dispute resolution process following the US' withdrawal from the deal, however, the EU3 "have reneged on their commitments and actively contributed to the so-called US 'maximum pressure' policy, and recently, the military aggression against our people too. Actors with such a record ought to be the last to claim 'good faith'," Araqchi was cited as saying by Tasnim News Agency.

Agencies contributed to this story.